Mowing machine



March 15, 1932.

C. W. ARCHER MOWING MACHINE Filed Aug. 2o, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet Imc/mkvCarl WAM/zer March l5, 1932.

C. W. ARCHER MOWING MACHINE Filed Aug. 20, 1928 C5 Sheets-#Sheet 2Inventor March 15, 1932. C. w. ARHER` 1,849,264

v MowING MACHINE l Filed Aug. 20. 1928 3 Shee'cS--Sheel 5 arl WAM/zer@Romani Patented Mar. 15, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT'. OFFICE CARL W.ARCHER, OF MASSILLON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T0 MASSILLON IMIELEENT COM- PANY,OF MASSILLON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO i Mownvefl MACHINE Applicationle. August 20, 1928. Serial No. 300,628.

The invention relates to tractor drawn mowing machines, and is moreparticularly designed for mowing grass along the edges of highways andthe like. i

It has been found by experience that the types of mowing machines now ingeneral use are not entirely satisfactory or practical for mowing grassalong the edges of paved roads. v

Such mowing machines are provided with a shoe upon the under side of thecutter bar, adapted to slide upon the surface of the ground as themachine is moved.

This shoe quickly wears out by contact with the gravel along the edge ofthe road, or with the curb which is used alongside of some roads.

Although the usual type of mowing machine in common use is provided withmeans for raising the cutter bar into a vertical position, when not inuse, no means is provided thereon for adjusting the height of the cutterbar when in the horizontal or operative position.

in cutting the grass at the edges of roadways and the like, it is oftendesirable to raise the cutter bar, while in horizontal position, inorder to hold the shoe out of Contact with the gravel or other roughsurface at the edge of the road. It is also often necessary to adjust`the cutter bar sufliciently high to clear a curb or the like along theedge of the road.

One object of the present improvement is to provide a mowing machinehaving means for adjusting the cutter bar vertically while in thehorizontal or operative position, as well as to swing the same up intovertical position when not in use.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved tractor drawn mowing machine,showing the cutter bar in the horizontal or operative position;

Fig. 2, a front elevation of the same;

Fig. 3, a longitudinal section through the mowing machine with thetractor removed.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several gures ofthe drawings. v

The tractor, which maybe of any desired type, is mounted upon a suitableframe shown generally at l, and provided with the axle 2 locatedtransversely through the central portion of the frame. Tractionwheels 3,preferably of dual type as shown, and provided with rubber tires 4, arefixed upon the axle 2. Y

The engineshown generally at 5, is operatively connected tothe gears inthe gear housing? 6 through a clutch indicated generally at A gearsegment 8 may be xed at the rear end of the tractor frame and thedrawbar 9, carried by the mowing machine, may be pivotally connected tothe tractor frame, concentric with said segment, as by a bolt 10.

rl`his drawbar may be provided with the bracket portion 11 in which isjournaled the steering shaft 12, which is journaled in the usual tubularsteering column 13 and held in inclined position as by the bracket 14.,A pinion 15 is carried by the lower end of the steering shaft, beingreceived within the slot .1.6 of the bracket 11 and engaging the gearsegment 8 whereby turning of the steering wheel 17 will cause thetractor to be turned upon the pivot 10, with reference to the mowingmachine.

It should be understood that a universal joint or the like as indicatedgenerally at `18 may be provided in the steering shaft between thepinion'l and the steering wheel. Aseries of substantially verticallevers 19 are pivoted, as at 19', upon the frame adjacent s the lowerend of the steering shaft.V

There are preferably three of these leveIS to each of which is connecteda link leading to an operating lever or the like upon the steeringcolumn. rlhe other end of each of these levers is connected by anotherlink to the gear shift, clutch and throttle, re*- spectively, of thetractor.V

The gear shift link 20 extends from the upper end of its lever 19 to anoperating lever 21 pivotally connected to the upper portion of thesteering column in convenient position to be grasped by the operatorwhen sitting in the seat 22.

The clutch link'23 is similarly connected to the upper end of its lever19 and to an Voperating lever 24C `also mounted upon the steering columnin convenient position for the operator. The throttle lever 25 is in thesame way connected to its lever 19 and to an operating lever 26 locatedupon the steering column adjacent to the other operating levers.

As above described., links lead from the struction of the tractor asabove -describedias' any other form of tractor may be associated withthe .mowing machine. Iowe'ver, in order to .illustrate-the invention,the tractor which is now in general Vuse has been illustrated anddescribed merely for the purpose of illustration.

The link 27 leads from the lower ends of the lever 19, to which theclutch link 23 is connected and extends forward for connection to 'theclutch .and *.brake.

The mower is carried upon the wheels 64 mounted upon the 'axle 65 whichsupports the vlira-'me indicated generally at 66. The wheels "64 may beprovided with rubber tires 67 in vorder Vto kfacilitate the moving ofthe machine upon -a `paved road.

'The cutter bar 68 of the mowing machine is provided with the usualreciprocating knives 69 adapted to tbe driven in any usual and wellknown manner such as therlinrk 70 and ieccentric Y7l :and bis extendedfrom one side of the machine in horizontal vposition above the groundwhen operating to mow the grass, :as shown .inFigs .l and'2.

.This cutter bar'is pivotazlly connected as at '72 to :a bracket 7 3carriedfby the supporting harfl located diagonally below the frame ofthe mowing machine and having its Vother end portion bent at an angle.as shown at 75 and :loca-ted in a :depending boss 76 provided upon theframe.

For the purpose of raising the cutter bar into 'vertical position, whennot in use, the usual mechanism may be employed., including theoperating lever 7 7 pivoted to a .rack segment 7 8 fmounted upon Ianystationary .portion of the frame :such .as the axle housing 7 9 andhaving'the usual pawl 80 torengagement y with the racksegnrent.

The lever 77 is connected `by la link 8l with alever `82 pivoted as at83vupon a .bracket 84. Pivoted to this lever, fas at V85, is a link 86which is in turn connected fas :at 87 to a second link-88 pivotallyconnected to the cutter bar as at 891,'at 'a point spaced from 'thepivotal poi-nt 72 thereof.

A lug 190 is formed upon lone side 'of the lever 82 and adapted-toengage the upper r'ed-ge 'of the link 86. A foot lever'9ilimay also loelconnected Vto the lever 7 7.

When the lever 77 is pulled backward,

through the link 8l, the lever 82 will be rocked, pulling` the links 86and 88 inward and swinging the cutter bar 68 upward upon its pivot 72.As the lug 90 engages the link 86 the upward movement of the cutter barwill be continued.

The mechanism above described for swinging the cutter bar from thehorizontal to the vertical position is common in mowing ma-` chines suchas'are in gener-al use for working in the fields. These cutter bars arecommonly provided with a shoe 93 at the inner end portion of the cutterbar and another shoe 9,4: at the outer or free end thereof adapted forriding upon the ground when the Jcutter baris in the horizontal oroperative position.

lt has been Afound by experience that this inner shoe 93 wears out in afewmilesoi use when'the vmowing machine is used for cutting grass along,the side ol a paved road or the like, since this shoe rides upon thegravel or `curb lat the edge of ythe road.

One of the features of the present'invention is to. provide means foradjusting the height :of the cutter bar vertically toward and away `fromthe ground while *maintain ing the same in extended horizontal positionto raise this inner shoe out of contact with the curb, gravel or otherrough surface at the edge of the highway in order to prevent wear uponthe shoe.

This means may comprise a-stirrup 95V in which the -diagonal bar 74 ishung, the stirrup .beingsuspended as by a link 96, from the lower -tendl97 of a bar raising lever 98 tulcrumed `as at y99 uponthe frame. Y

lhislever may fbe provided with a spring pressed pawl 100 adapted toengage the notchesginthe rack segment 101 which is fixed upon theifra-me:adjacent thereto. The usual hand lever 102.1n'ay he provided forpulling the pawl out or" engagement with-the rack sgment, against thepressure of the spring El 3.

llVith this construction, uit will loe-seen that thelever 98 may beswungto any desired position itc-raise the diagonal bar 74:, and with it thecutter har 568,150 'the desired height, the :pawl upon the lever beingengaged with fthe rack segment to hold the cutter har .at this-height,in horizontal position with the shoe raised above thefcu'rb or roughsurface along lthe edge Aof 'the road as shown :in Fig. 2.

In corder to l*provide for `automatically"stopping thefmach'ine withoutinjury rto the Lsame, in the event the cutter bar strikes anobstacle,Ithe1diagonal bar 74 -may be formed of two sections itelescoped withina; sleeve 104 and normally/held apart as by theispringli.

A link v106 is connected 'to :the same .lever 1-9 to which Afthe clutch.and brake controllink 23 is attached and at its" other end isiconnected to :a bellici-ank lever 107 1 journailed as -at 10S-uponthevbeveled segment `109 which i is iixed upon the shorter section 110of the diagonal bar.

The sleeve 104 is fixed to the longer section of the bar 74 as by a pin111 and is slidable upon the shorter section which is provided with aslot 112 which slidably receives the stud vor bolt 113 carried by thesleeve.

The other arm 114 of the bell crank lever normally contacts with thestud 113 and is provided with a finger 115 ridingupon the y.

beveled upper surface of the segment 109.

It will be seen that as the machine is moving forward, if the cutter barstrikes an obstacle, it will cause a telescoping of the diagonal bar 74,the sleeve 104 thereof telescoping upon the shorter section 110. Thestud 113, contacting with the bell crank lever, will swing the same uponits fulcrum and through the link 106, lever 19Y and link 27, the clutchwill be thrown out and the brake applied instantly stopping the machine.

As the finger 115 of the bell crank lever rides over the beveled surfaceof the segmounted on the frame and operatively connected to the stirrupfor raising and lowering the supporting bar for bodily movin the cutterbar vertically toward and away rom the ground while maintaining the samein extended horizontal position.

3. A mowing machine including, a supporti In testimony that I claim theabove, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

CARL w. ARCHER.

ment 109, the arm 114 of the bell crank lever will be raised up abovethe stud 113, thus releasing the bell crank from contact with said studwhereby the clutch may be again thrown in by operating the hand lever24. ,v

From the above it will be obvious that the cutter bar may be adjustedvertically and held at any desired height while in horizontal oroperative position, the clutch may be thrown out and the brake appliedsimultaneously to instantly stop the tractor and in the event the cutterbar strikes an obstacle, the machine will be instantly stoppedautomatically, thus preventing serious damage to the cutter bar or otherparts of the machine.

I claim:

1. A mowing machine including a frame, a supporting bar pivotallyconnected at one end to one side of the frame and extending diagonallyacross the under side of the frame, a cutter bar mounted upon the otherend of the supporting bar and extending laterally from the other side ofthe frame in a substantially horizontal operative position above theground, and means operatively connected with the supporting barintermediate its ends for moving the same for bodily adjusting thecutter bar vertically toward and away from the ground while maintainingthe same in extended horizontal position.

2. A mowing machine including a frame, a supporting bar pivotallyconnected at one end to one side of the frame and extending y Y

